Download four high-resolution JPG maps of Morgan County, Illinois, in one ZIP from this page, then use the article views to compare Jacksonville, Meredosia, Waverly, the Illinois River edge, local lakes and creeks, and elevation. Jacksonville dominates the center of the county, with South Jacksonville immediately below it. Meredosia occupies a very different setting at the northwestern Illinois River edge, while Franklin and Waverly extend the settlement pattern far into the southeast.
The maps also show a strong change in terrain from west to east. Low river-side ground surrounds the Meredosia area, while much of the central, southern, and eastern interior rises into rolling uplands cut by narrow stream valleys. The elevation map reports an actual range of about 128 to 219 meters and a mean near 188 meters. Indian Creek, Mauvaise Terre Creek, Apple Creek, Lake Jacksonville, and several smaller lakes give those elevation changes a clear geographic context.
Table of Contents
Jacksonville is the road crossroads between the river side and southeast Morgan County
Jacksonville provides the simplest road reference on the county map. I‑72 and US 36 cross the area and continue east toward Alexander, while US 67 runs north-south just west of the city. Route 78 heads north toward Literberry, and Route 104 leaves the South Jacksonville side toward Franklin and Waverly. The Jacksonville visitor bureau also identifies I‑72 and Routes 67, 267, 104, and 78 as the major routes serving the city, which matches the road pattern visible on the supplied map.
West and northwest of Jacksonville, the map opens into a more rural pattern. Chapin lies along the route toward Meredosia, and Route 100 appears near the Illinois River side. South of Jacksonville, Woodson and Murrayville sit near the Route 267 corridor. To the southeast, Franklin and Waverly follow a different road direction from the Meredosia-Chapin side, making the county’s road geography feel split between the river-facing northwest and the broad southeastern interior.
The county outline becomes especially irregular on the west and southwest. A narrow northwestern section reaches the Illinois River at Meredosia, while several step-like boundary changes separate the Jacksonville area from the western and southern edges. This map is intended for geographic orientation rather than live navigation, so current traffic, road closures, and driving times should still be checked with a dedicated road service.
Six ranked places reveal a heavy concentration around Jacksonville
The ranked city map lists Jacksonville at 18,014, South Jacksonville at 3,239, Waverly at 1,375, Meredosia at 871, Chapin at 668, and Franklin at 650. Jacksonville is far larger than the other highlighted places, and South Jacksonville is attached directly to its southern edge. The remaining four communities occupy very different parts of the county and are separated by long stretches of rural land.
Waverly sits near the southeastern edge, with Franklin northwest of it along the same broad side of the county. Meredosia is far away on the Illinois River in the northwest, and Chapin lies between the river side and Jacksonville. The city map therefore shows more than population rank: it makes the geographic distance between the central urban concentration and the smaller outlying towns immediately visible.
The general county map fills in places such as Concord, Literberry, Lynnville, Woodson, and Murrayville, which helps explain the large gaps between the six ranked communities. It also adds the road network that the city view intentionally leaves out. Use the ranked map first for scale and direction, then switch to the road map when the route between two places matters.
Illinois River lowlands give way to the Mauvaise Terre and Apple Creek systems
The terrain and water map begins with the Illinois River at the northwestern edge near Meredosia. The county’s official website specifically notes that Morgan County reaches the Illinois River at Meredosia, and the supplied map shows that river-side area as a distinct western water setting. Coon Run enters the same general region, while Little Indian Creek and Indian Creek cross the northern part of the county farther east.
Closer to Jacksonville, Mauvaise Terre Creek becomes the main named stream. North Fork Mauvaise Terre Creek approaches from the east, and Mauvaise Terre Lake and Morgan Lake sit near the central city area. Lake Jacksonville is farther south and provides one of the clearest water landmarks in the lower-central part of the county. Jacksonville’s local visitor information identifies the lake as a major outdoor destination south of the city, making it a useful real-world reference for the map.
The southeast has another group of water features. Waverly Lake is labeled near the eastern side, and Left Fork Apple Creek joins the broader Apple Creek system toward the lower boundary. Concord Reservoir and Valevue Lake provide additional northern landmarks. This is a geographic reference map rather than a flood-risk, parcel, legal-boundary, navigation, or drainage-engineering product.
A 128–219 m landscape rising away from the Illinois River
The elevation map reports an actual range of about 128 to 219 meters and a mean near 188 meters. The lowest dark-green terrain occupies the northwestern river side around Meredosia and the Illinois River. Moving east from that lowland, the surface rises quickly and becomes more strongly dissected by small tributaries. Indian Creek and the Mauvaise Terre system remain visible as lower green corridors through the higher interior.
The strongest high ground appears in the south-central and eastern parts of Morgan County, where brown and dark-tan terrain covers broad uplands. Several narrow ridges south of Jacksonville stand out clearly, and the southeastern Waverly side is generally much higher than the Illinois River edge even where the surface looks smoother. Numerous small stream valleys carve into those uplands, especially across the southern half of the county.
The elevation surface is generalized for county-scale comparison and should not be treated as survey-grade height, parcel elevation, or engineering data. For ordinary map reading, however, it explains the water map well. Indian Creek, Mauvaise Terre Creek, and Apple Creek follow lower corridors, while the broad higher areas between them form the rolling interior described by the county’s official overview.
Compare Jacksonville, Meredosia, and Waverly across the four views
Use the county map when roads, the irregular boundary, and the full set of settlements matter most. The ranked city map is better for comparing Jacksonville, South Jacksonville, Waverly, Meredosia, Chapin, and Franklin without extra road detail. The terrain and water map is the clearest source for the Illinois River, Mauvaise Terre Creek, Lake Jacksonville, and Apple Creek, while the elevation map explains the strong rise from the northwestern river lowlands into the interior.
Jacksonville is a useful place to follow across all four maps. The road view shows the I‑72, US 67, Route 78, and Route 104 connections; the city map shows the concentration of population around Jacksonville and South Jacksonville; the water map adds Mauvaise Terre Creek and Lake Jacksonville; and the elevation view places the city among uplands divided by creek valleys. Meredosia provides the low Illinois River contrast, while Waverly represents the smoother but substantially higher southeastern interior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest geographic difference between Jacksonville and Meredosia?
Jacksonville is the large central city and major road crossroads, while Meredosia is a much smaller settlement on the northwestern Illinois River edge. The elevation map makes the contrast even clearer: Meredosia sits in the county’s lowest river-side terrain, while Jacksonville and much of the interior are higher and broken by creek valleys.
Which map is best for Lake Jacksonville and Mauvaise Terre Creek?
The terrain and water map is the best choice. Mauvaise Terre Creek and North Fork Mauvaise Terre Creek cross the Jacksonville area, with Mauvaise Terre Lake and Morgan Lake nearby. Lake Jacksonville is farther south, so the same map makes it easy to compare the city-area streams with the larger lake.
What files are included in the downloadable ZIP?
The ZIP contains four high-resolution JPG files: the county and road map, ranked city map, terrain and water map, and elevation map. Each image is 3638 × 2572 pixels. Smaller WebP versions are used in the article for faster viewing, while the JPG files are better for close inspection and print. The water and elevation maps are general geographic references rather than flood, legal-boundary, survey, or engineering products.
Map File Information
Download the Morgan County county map, ranked city map, terrain and water map, and elevation map together as high-resolution JPG files.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and references
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles – county boundaries, roads, and place reference
- USGS National Hydrography – Illinois River, streams, lakes, and other hydrography reference
- USGS 3D Elevation Program – elevation and terrain reference
- Morgan County, Illinois official website – official county information on Jacksonville, Meredosia, the Illinois River, and local terrain
- Jacksonville, IL – Lake Jacksonville – local information about Lake Jacksonville south of the city
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These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
